CORTEZ – With each offensive rebound and second‑chance opportunity, the Panthers kept challenging the Bobcats defense, but through 2½ quarters, the Ignacio fortifications held up.
With the Panthers holding a 16‑15 lead midway through the third quarter, M‑CHS sophomore Kyndall Schmitt buried a three from the top of the key to shift the momentum decisively.
On their home court on Tuesday night, the Panthers ended a two‑week series of close calls on the short end of the scoreboard. They maintained defensive pressure on Ignacio for four quarters and put the game out of reach with an extended run in the late third and early fourth quarter to win 50‑27.
In their past five contests, the Panthers faced top‑10 or 5A competition but didn’t shy away from the uphill climbs in narrow defeats to Durango, Montrose, Centauri, Alamosa and Pagosa Springs. The chance to face an opponent they could control on the glass gave M‑CHS an opportunity to regain control after second‑chance points had hurt the team during their five‑game skid.
The Panthers’ dominance in the rebounding margin couldn’t be understated, as junior Shoshawna Washburn, senior Siana Elliott and freshman Raya Hall led an effort in which the home team had third and fourth looks at the rim for much of the night.
With multiple chances on most trips, the Panthers kept the momentum even when their shots weren’t falling. While Ignacio senior Alyssa Atencio brought the Bobcats within one on a layup after the team trailed 11‑0 after the opening quarter, Schmitt’s 3‑pointer sparked a Panthers run.
“At halftime, we talked as a team and said ‘we’ve got this,’” said Elliott, “and we were able to come together as a team.”
M‑CHS freshman Aubrey Taveira found pockets of space on the block, and her teammates got her the ball as the wing scored all of her game‑high 12 points in the second half. Senior Sariah Jackson overcame a rough start, and she and Elliott scored their 15 combined points after halftime.
Elliott, Taveira and Washburn controlled the paint in the final 16 minutes, with baskets starting to fall more consistently as they wore down the Bobcats interior.
“M. E., Bryce, and Sabrina (the Panthers coaching staff) have really helped me work on my post moves,” added Elliott, “and that’s allowed me to focus on playing basketball like I know how to.”
Bobcats junior Aubree Lucero hit a pair of threes and finished with a co‑team‑high eight points alongside senior Julie Anna Avila, but once the Panthers increased their offensive tempo, the visitors struggled to keep pace.
M‑CHS (5‑8, 1‑3 4A/3A IML) poured in 22 fourth‑quarter points on its way to its first league win of the season, giving the team a needed boost heading into a three‑week stretch spent mostly on the road.
Schmitt added eight to a balanced Panthers attack, while sophomore Mia Glazner (four points) joined Taveira and Elliott as key contributors off the bench.
Elliott acknowledged that the roster is young but credited head coach M.E. Haley for helping the team make significant progress. “I’m excited for what we have ahead,” she said.
Ignacio (3‑11, 1‑3 4A/3A IML) heads to Alamosa on Friday before returning home to face Monte Vista on Saturday.
M‑CHS will face Monte Vista and Bayfield on the road on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The Panthers return home on Tuesday, Feb. 3 for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff against Mancos.
